Fire Chapter 12: Casualties of War
by Wren Sharpbeak
Summary: When Sokka is mistakenly drafted by the Fire Nation Army, he learns the true horrors of war…from the Fire Nation’s perspective. Meanwhile, Zuko makes some interesting new discoveries as well.
1. Ch 1 Comfort

**Disclaimer:** the characters and places in the following work of fan-fiction are the intellectual property of Nickelodeon and, as such, they reserve the right to remove this story at their sole discretion.

_This story is the __twelfth__ in a series, so please read the other eleven before continuing!_

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Previously on Avatar 

"I have a son, just about Prince Zuko's age." Huo paused and frowned before adding, "Last week he received his conscription notice."

"Conscription?" asked Jee dubiously, "I thought the age for that was-"

"Eighteen," Huo finished for him, "it _was_."

* * *

"I think…I think I saw my mother here in Kazimizu," admitted the prince uncertainly. 

Whatever ulterior motive Iroh was expecting to hear from his nephew, it wasn't this. And the retired general couldn't help but be skeptical about what Zuko might have really seen.

"Zuko," he warned seriously, "Ursa has been missing for almost ten years. No one is even sure if she-"

"I'm aware of that, Uncle!" snapped Zuko. "But…if there's a chance…if it really was her…Uncle I have to know," he finished with a look of desperate pleading in his eyes.

* * *

"Hey, just because I'm not a bender doesn't make me useless," Sokka snapped irritably. 

Tanha turn an innocently puzzled face toward the teen.

"Doesn't it?"

* * *

"Azula killed me in Ba Sing Se," Aang stated calmly, "and even though the water from the Spirit Oasis brought me back, I still died while I was in the Avatar State." 

"The Cycle isn't completely broken and the other Avatars are still in the Spirit World, I just…can't tap into their power." Before anyone could let out a sigh of relief, however, he continued. "But if I die before I can find a way to reconnect to my past lives, then there won't be any more Avatars after me."

"How do you 'reconnect' to your past lives?" asked Sokka uncertainly.

"I don't know," the air bender sighed.

* * *

Zuko stood for some time in the Spirit World grove, mulling over the strange visions he had seen and trying to make sense of them. His thoughts began to swirl in a tempest of whispers and memories. 

_Don't think of them as separate._ It was almost as though…

_Your destinies are intertwined._ All that time…

_Your fate is tied to his. _He was being pulled along…

…By a Thread…

Zuko's eyes snapped open with the shock of epiphany as he gasped.

"We're _connected!_"

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Book Three: Fire 

**Chapter 12: Casualties of War**

A soft shudder in the ground woke Sokka from his sleep, jolting him upright with a string of drool still dangling from the corner of his mouth. Bleary-eyed and half-panicked, he looked around as the earth trembled again. Turning in the direction of the noise, he relaxed when he spotted Toph and Katara sparring across the nearby stream, and on the hillock just above them Aang was practicing his fire bending with Iroh.

Sleepily, he took stock of his surroundings. They'd left the jungles behind two days ago, and were now in the hilly region not far from the coast. It was a nice area actually, warm but not hot, with cool breezes sweeping up the mainland from the sea. And in the color-washed hues of morning, it was truly lovely.

At the moment, however, Sokka was feeling too depressed to enjoy it. Instead, he let out a dramatic sigh, only heard by the old rhino that pulled their cart, resting nearby.

"Well, it looks like everyone went off to train," he bemoaned, "and no one bothered to wake me…again."

If the comment had been directed at the beast of burden, it didn't take notice, and Sokka glumly turned his attention back to his surroundings. When a plate of food caught his attention, however, he perked up slightly and hurried over to it.

"But they _did_ leave me breakfast," he remarked to himself before shoveling in a mouthful. As soon as the food hit his tongue however, he frowned. "Aw…it went _cold_," he complained to the empty camp, his lips drooping in a sad pout.

"I know!" he exclaimed cheerfully, "I'll just get Aang to warm it!"

Before he could carry out this plan, however, a stray blast lit up a bush over where Aang was practicing his fire bending. With a shout of dismay, Iroh rushed over to intervene, controlling the blaze to prevent spreading while the young air bender tried unsuccessfully to help.

"Or…maybe not…" mused Sokka dolefully. Dejectedly, he opened his mouth to take another cold bite when a shout from Toph made him nearly drop the plate.

"Whoa! Heads up, Snoozles!"

Sokka yelped and barely had time to duck as a rock came hurtling in his direction, sailing over his head to crash and shatter against the cliff face a short distance behind him. The ragged old rhino balked in alarm at the sudden disruption then turned a baleful eye on the warrior.

"What?" protested Sokka, returning the animal's hard glare with indignant innocence, "it wasn't _me_."

"Sorry, Sokka!" called Katara apologetically from across the water.

"Good save, Sweetness," Toph remarked as the two girls returned to their match, stone and water colliding between them. "For a second I thought I had you that time."

"Ha! You wish!" retorted the water bender cheerfully while absorbing a chunk of rock with a wave and hurtling it back at her sparring partner, who dodged it effortlessly.

Moving to a safer location away from any potential line of fire (or rock, or water), Sokka resumed eating his cold meal, forlornly watching his companions train. Upon finishing, and suddenly having nothing to do, he turned to the old rhino.

"Sooo," he drawled casually, "wanna spar?"

The rhino merely snorted lazily in reply.

"Yeah," the warrior sighed, dropping his chin into his hand, "that's what I figured."

* * *

The hills overlooking Kawa'Gin were still and silent in the early dawn mist, save for a singular, methodical, repetitive click echoing through the treetops. Azula's finger tapped restlessly against the brass pommel of the saddle, the tiny ticking noise dampening even Ty Lee's usual cheer. 

"Maybe it wasn't really him," offered the acrobat helpfully.

There was no reply; only the steady clink of a perfectly manicured nail against polished metal.

The princess had been like this ever since they intercepted a messenger hawk on its way to the capital, stating that a young man matching Zuko's description was in custody. But after a frantic two-day ride to Kawa'Gin, they arrived only to discover that he had escaped. After questioning every citizen in the town, the only lead they had was from a tavern server, which had brought them to this dingy little shack in the hills.

"It was Zuko," Azula finally stated confidently. "That idiot of a constable was certain of it."

"But what would he want with silver wire?" wondered Ty Lee aloud.

"It's Zuko," scoffed the princess, "who knows."

The tapping stopped as Mai came into view once more, coming around a bend in the overgrown pathway leading up to the house, and Azula fixed a questioning glare on the somber noblewoman.

"Well?"

"There's no one there," Mai informed her dully, climbing into the saddle of her mongoose-dragon. "The place looks likes it's been empty for days. But there are wagon tracks leading north-west through the hills," she added, pointing in that direction. Then, turning back to the princess, she asked, "What do you want to do?"

There was barely a pause before Azula spurred her mount toward the northwest.

"We follow them."

* * *

Morning sunlight shone brightly across the coastal plains, dancing on the ocean in the distance, as a lone wagon rolled over the windswept hills. 

A particularly large bump rattled the cart violently enough to jostle Zuko from an uneasy sleep, and it took him a moment to shake off the remnants of his disturbing dreams enough to make sense of his surroundings. But as the sound of an off-key song reached his ears, the events of the past few days came flooding back.

After fleeing the town of Kawa'Gin, Zuko had made straight for the hills to find Junjie, the old miner he'd been told about by the girl in the tavern. Initially, Junjie had seemed to recognize Ursa from the drawing Zuko had shown him, as well as the pattern woven into the bracelet. And the old man had insisted he knew where the woman lived (although he couldn't remember her name). So when he had offered to give Zuko a ride to the port city of Mokushi where she supposedly dwelled, the prince decided it was worth the risk.

Halfway through the first day of their trip, however, the prince began to have his doubts. The serving girl had said Junjie was the only one stubborn enough to continue delving into the hills for silver. But what she _should_ have said was that he was the only person _crazy_ enough to do so, because that's what the old man truly was…_a raving lunatic_.

However, he was a _kind_ lunatic, and senile enough that Zuko felt relatively safe traveling with him. Junjie's memory was lax at best, and the prince was reasonably sure that in a few days, the old codger wouldn't even remember this journey….he certainly couldn't remember much of anything else.

And what else was there to do? This bizarre little man was the only lead he had on finding Ursa. Besides, even if it turned out to be a false hope, at least Zuko had managed to get a ride halfway to Port Shukumei, and that was worth _some_thing.

A chattering trill from Momo sitting on the back of the carriage seat interrupted the badly sung tune, and the old man turned to watch as the lemur flitted down to land on Zuko's chest, nuzzling against the teen's cheek with obvious affection.

"Sorry 'bout the bumpy ride," cackled Junjie happily as Zuko struggled upright and rubbed his eyes.

"Did you drive all night?" wondered the prince sleepily with a tone of slight dismay.

"Nope," replied the old miner with a crooked-toothed grin, "but ye' looked so comfy there last night when ye dozed off, I jus' left ye in the cart. Ye' don't seem the sort who gets enough sleep," he added with a stern wag of his finger, "and a man needs his rest."

Zuko blinked at the familiar admonishment, and wave of longing for his uncle swept over him like a tidal wave, hardening into a solid lump in the back of his throat. It passed swiftly however when Junjie held up a small bag of dried meat, the smell of which caused the teen's stomach to complain loudly.

"Come on up and get yerself some breakfast," Junjie offered cheerfully.

Gracefully climbing into the seat beside him, Zuko took the proffered bag, pulled out a piece of lightly spiced jerky, and bit into it hungrily before breaking a morsel off the opposite end and handing it to Momo. Chewing thoughtfully on the tender meat, Zuko couldn't help but muse to himself that Sokka would love this stuff.

Of course, no sooner had the thought crossed his mind, another wistful pang stabbed through him. He wondered where the others were right now, what they might be doing. How was Aang's training coming along? Was Uncle Iroh going too easy on him?

The prince's eyes grew distant and unfocused as memories glimmered across his senses: Aang's exuberant laugh, the caustic barbs and teasing from Toph, Katara's ever-present sense of order and pragmatism, and even Sokka's lame jokes. He could almost hear the endless banter that had once irritated him so, and found that now that he was away from it, he craved that sound more than he ever thought possible.

So lost was Zuko in his pining, that he barely registered Junjie's voice when he spoke.

"Ye miss 'em dont'cha?"

"Yeah," whispered the prince before he was aware of what he was saying. But the moment the word left his lips, the sudden realization of his admission snapped him out of his reverie with alarm, and he quickly looked at the old man, stuttering in shock. "Wha-…How did-"

Junjie chuckled softly before answering.

"Ye live as long as I have, m'boy, and you learn to recognize that look," Junjie confided with a disquieting sense of lucidity. His gaze lingered out over the rutted wagon-path as he added softly, "It's the look of a man who misses his _family_."

Zuko stared mutely at the old man, completely at a loss for words. Then, as suddenly as the moment of sanity had appeared, it flickered away again, and Junjie turned a zany grin on the young fire bender.

"How's about a song!" he crowed joyfully, and without waiting for an answer, he began belting out an off-key tune as the wagon rattled slowly across the hilly plain.

"Oooo-Oh! Don't fall in love with a traveling gal, she'll leave ye broken, broken-hearted…"

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Author's note:** I am SO sorry it took so long to get this up. With the Thanksgiving holiday, and a nasty cold running rampant through the household, I've been hard pressed to find time (and energy) to write. 

I said at the end of my last story that from there on out, I would be picking one reader per 'episode' and letting them decide what scene from my stories I would illustrate next.

I had a ton of great reviews to go through for my last story (almost 360! OMG!), trying to pick one person as the 'winner' of their choice of scene. It took me two days to narrow it down to three people, and two more to come to a final decision.

But in the end, I decided to give it to Steamboat Ghost because I always look forward to his input when i post each new chapter. He prolifically shares his reactions, yet he never holds back when he feels a critique is in order. These are the two qualities i appreciate most in a review.

So congratulations to Steamboat Ghost! The scene he asked for will be posted at the first commercial break.

As for the rest of you, please speak up and let me know what you think: be yourself and be honest. And I in turn will show my gratitude for your input by drawing for one of you any scene you'd like.

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	2. Ch 2 Tolerance

Blue eyes met dark brown, both gazes calm and resolute. A huff of air shot from gnarled gray nostrils, blowing across the young warrior's hair. The rhino's glare flickered away from the boy's face for a moment to regard the smooth, arm-length stick in his hand, and then returned to lock eyes with him once more, the two of them resuming their staring contest.

"All you have to do is hold it in your mouth," Sokka explained patiently.

He offered up the stick, holding it in front of the gruff rhino, who merely snorted in reply.

"Come on," the boy continued to coax, grunting a bit as he forced beast's lips up just enough to shove the long, whittled branch in. That done, he backed away slowly until he was certain it would stay. With a triumphant grin, he turned to pick up another long stick from the ground, speaking as he did so. "Now, just keep holding it like that and-"

He stopped when he heard the sound of the stick hitting the earth with a soft thump, and frowned dejectedly when he looked up at the rhino chewing the sparse turf beside it. But his defeated posture didn't last long, and he snapped his fingers as a brilliant idea came to mind.

Picking up the discarded branch, he walked a short distance away to where the grass grew tall, pulled up several long strands, and started wrapping them around one end of the stick. As he drew near to the rhino with the branch, it lifted its head, sniffing the air as Sokka held the grass-wrapped end toward the passive beast.

It was all Sokka could do keep from holding his breath as he waited for the rhino to take the bait. And it was even harder not to whoop for joy when the old brute finally took it. As it was, he pumped a fist in the air before bending down to pick up the other shaft of wood.

"Okay!" Sokka chimed merrily, turning to face his 'foe' and taking a defensive stance, "now come at me!"

The long stick poking out of the rhino's mouth jiggled up and down a little as he chewed the tender foliage encasing it. When no other movement ensued, Sokka sighed and addressed the creature once more.

"You're just not going to work with me, are you?"

The only response Sokka received was a muffled grunt.

* * *

The cart lurched over a particularly large rut in the road sending its occupants swaying and bouncing slightly along with it, forcing Momo to clutch the prince's shoulder as he tried to keep his balance. Zuko reached an arm up absently to help steady the little lemur, steadfastly ignoring the ceaseless babble coming from Junjie. 

He was jabbering about yet another of his wild conspiracy theories, what had to be the hundredth Zuko had heard in the last two days. He barely bothered listening anymore; they were just too bizarre to follow.

"I'm tellin' ya, the key is the _komodo_ _sausages_. When someone finally figures _that_ one out, then all th' world's problems'll be solved, an' everythin'll fall back inta place. An' it'll happen too, jus' ye wait'n see, Kurzu."

"Kuzon."

"Whas'at?"

"It's Kuzon, not Kurzu," Zuko sighed. "Or Kozan, Kanza, or _Kazoo_", he muttered under his breath, rattling off some of the other weird names Junjie had called him by over the last few days.

"Hey, I use'ta know a Kuzon!" chirped Junjie happily.

"So you've told me," Zuko said wearily. Junjie made that same remark every single time Zuko corrected him. At this point, he wasn't sure why he bothered anymore.

"Bit of an odd one, 'e was," the old man mused blithely.

The prince looked askance at him with a wry expression; Junjie calling someone else 'odd' was an almost laughable concept.

"Never thought I'd run inta 'nother one. These days, all th' boys er called 'Chan' an' 'Shin' an' 'Li'," he rambled. "Yer folks did right by ye on that one."

The old man turned and looked at his younger traveling companion expectantly, which Zuko had learned was his cue for a response to carry on the conversation. And he knew that Junjie would only stare at him with that freakish, eager grin until he spoke. Somewhat at a loss, the prince frowned.

"It's…" Zuko paused as he remembered how he got his alias.

_Everyone was in the room at the Kazimizu Theater, going through the new clothes that had been provided to them so they could get out of their disguises. while with Jenzu wrote down the assumed names they wanted put on their forged traveling papers. _

_The prince had planned on staying with Li, the name he'd used in the Earth Kingdom. But then Sokka announced that as his moniker, and when Jenzu asked for the prince's false identity, he was left without any ideas._

_As he was fumbling through his brain for a suitable name, Aang surprised everyone by speaking up in Zuko's stead._

"_Kuzon," the Avatar stated firmly, and they turned to regard him with curiosity. But Aang's face was resolute as he reaffirmed, "His name is Kuzon."_

Zuko never did get a chance to ask Aang why he'd insisted on giving away the name of his best friend from a century ago rather than using it himself. And as he sat there in the wagon now with Junjie, he could only continue to wonder.

At last, he glanced at the old man, who was still patiently waiting for Zuko say something, and then back out to the road. His brow furrowed contemplatively as he remembered Junjie's earlier comment, and when he spoke again, his voice carried a pang of truth.

"It's a family name."

* * *

Steam wafted up from the tiny deluge of amber liquid pouring from spout to cup. With practiced care, the teapot was set gently back onto its cradle over the fire, and Iroh reverently held the cup in Toph's direction as she sat down beside him. 

"Try this," he offered, "and tell me what you think."

Toph took a deep, appreciative whiff of the fragrant tea before putting the cup to her lips. Taking a delicate sip, she held the drink on her tongue for a moment before swallowing it down.

"Hrm…leachy tea, lightly infused with jasmine and," she paused for a moment, considering the flavor with slight puzzlement, "lemon?"

"Lemongrass," Iroh corrected with a tone of pride at his pupil's perception. "It's rather abundant in this area, and I thought it might add an interesting twist."

"It does," she agreed before taking another sip, "and it's really _good_."

Iroh smiled happily and poured a cup for himself, glancing up briefly as Aang and Katara walked into the camp.

"Ah, there you are," he exclaimed cheerfully. "Would you two like some tea?"

"Actually, we were looking for Sokka," Katara declined politely. "Toph, do you have any idea where he went?"

"Yeah, he's just over that hill," she replied, pointing toward where she could feel his vibrations against the soil.

The two nodded at their friend in appreciation and headed off in the direction she had indicated. But as they crested the rise of the hill, they stopped. There below them was Sokka, staring down the length of a wooden stick at the ragged old rhino that pulled their cart.

This, in itself, would have been a strange enough sight to behold, but the fact that the beast was also wielding a stick (in its mouth) was too bizarre for words. But it got even weirder when Sokka started weaving and moving about, swinging his branch for all he was worth.

The two teens looked at each in bewilderment for a moment before turning their attention back to their friend just in time to see him charge toward the rhino, stick swirling madly. Katara suppressed a gasp, startled at this new insanity her brother seemed to be displaying.

With yells and shouts of fury, he dodged and swerved in ridiculously exaggerated moves, apparently trying to avoid the completely immobile stick pinned between the animal's teeth. All the while, the old rhino seemed thoroughly unconcerned, gazing placidly at the foolish boy as he finished with a grand flourish.

At this point, the rhino spat the stick out of its mouth, smacking Sokka square in the forehead and sending him to the ground with a thud. His opponent thus defeated, the tired brute presented his backside to the fallen warrior and slowly ambled away.

With a disgusted sigh, Sokka hauled himself to his feet, brushing off his clothes as Aang and Katara approached.

"Sokka," began his sister hesitantly, "what were you doing?"

"Training," he grumbled, examining his makeshift wooden weapon.

"With…a rhino?" asked Aang skeptically.

"Hey, it's not like I have anyone else to practice against," snapped the warrior. "At least, not now," he finished quietly, sinking down to the ground in a cross-legged position and tossing away the stick.

"Oh, that's right," murmured Katara in sudden realization, settling down next to her brother, "Zuko was going to show you how to use his swords, wasn't he?"

"Yeah," Sokka confirmed softly.

"Well, Aang and I can help you train if you want," offered his sister.

"It's not just that," admitted Sokka slowly.

"Then what is it?"

Sokka glanced at her uncertainly, as if contemplating a response, but before he could give it, Aang spoke up.

"You miss him too, don't you?"

For a moment, Sokka looked like he was about to deny the Avatar's theory, but seeing Aang's earnest face, he knew he couldn't hide the truth. He pulled his knees up to his chest, and rested his chin on them.

"You know, if someone had told me two months ago that I would _miss_ having the _prince_ of the _Fire Nation_ around, I'd have told them they were out of their minds," he marveled quietly. "But who'd have thought he'd be so…normal?" He let out a small sigh before continuing. "I guess I just got used to being around a regular _guy_."

"Hey, what about me?" protested Aang indignantly, "I'm a regular guy!"

"I mean a guy who eats _meat_," Sokka expanded dolefully, "and appreciates sharp, pointy things."

"Oh," conceded the air bender meekly. "Well, if it's any consolation, I miss having him as a teacher too." Seeing the questioning glances of his friends, he added quickly, "Don't get me wrong, Iroh is great and all, it just that…well, he never lets me try the really hard stuff the way Zuko does."

"I've noticed you make fewer mistakes when Zuko is training you," Katara admitted helpfully, and Aang nodded thoughtfully in return. A brief silence ensued as the three contemplated their missing companion.

"The eclipse is only two weeks away," mused Sokka unhappily, "and what good am I going to be when it gets here? You guys have your bending and me…I've got nothing."

"That's not true!" insisted Aang optimistically, "You've got your boomerang, and you_ are_ the idea guy."

"And what good is that going to do me when I get into close combat? Even if I had some real weapons, I'm nowhere near as skilled with them as you guys are with your bending." Sokka sighed again, his shoulders slumping. "It's just so ironic that, in all this time we've been traveling, trying to save the world, Zuko was the first real sparring partner I've had. And now that he's not here, I feel like the odd man out again."

The two benders looked at each other helplessly, neither of them sure what they could do or say. Finally, Katara placed a hand on her brother's shoulder.

"Why don't you come into town with me," she suggested kindly, "a little shopping is sure to cheer you up."

"Thanks, Katara," he replied with wistful gratitude, "but I don't think even a shopping trip will help this time."

"Oh, okay" she said, deflated. Standing up and starting to walk away, she called out slyly, "I guess I'll just have to try and find those komodo sausages Iroh mentioned some other time. I never know how to tell which ones are best."

Just as she had expected, Sokka perked up at the prospect of meat, and she smiled to herself when she heard him get to his feet and follow after her.

"On second thought, I think a little trip to the market is just the thing."

Watching them go, Aang only grinned and shook his head.

* * *

**Author's note:** For those of you that caught it and wondered; yes I got the name 'Kurzu' from the wonderful fan-story 'Ozai's Vengeance' written by Fandomme and its use here is just my personal little nod to one of her excellent original characters.

And I apologize if the Sokka/rhino bit seemed a little redundant. It was originally intened for the first chapter, but it got too long so I moved it here.


	3. Ch 3 Intentions

The marketplace was bustling with mid-morning activity; carts rattled along the cobbled streets as vendors hawked their wares over the din of the noisy crowds. It was a fine day, with cool ocean breezes whispering up from the port.

"Ah! Now this is more like it," Sokka sighed as he gazed lovingly upon the steaming sausage skewer he held, "real _meat_."

Toph, who had decided to join the siblings on their trip into town, grinned impishly at the remark.

"You know, Katara," she mused, "if that's all it takes to cheer His Grumpiness up, then maybe you _should_ buy more meat for the road."

"Well, I guess it _is _less expensive here than in the Earth Kingdom," admitted the money-keeper, looking thoughtfully at the small purse of coins she held.

"Good!" announced Sokka, plucking the bag from his sister's hand. "In that case, I'm going to get some of that spiced jerky."

With that, he hurried off to a nearby stall, leaving the two girls where they were. Katara was about to go after him and protest when Toph grabbed her by the arm.

"Aw, let him have his meat," she reasoned, "He hasn't been this happy in days."

"I suppose you're right," Katara agreed reluctantly. "But he'll take forever picking out what he wants, and we really need to get back on the road."

"Why? We've made great time the last few days," argued Toph sensibly. "Besides," she added, pulling out a small jingling bag of her own, "I want to grab a few things while we're here."

"Where'd you get that?" wondered Katara in surprise.

"Iroh," Toph replied with a shrug. "He asked me to try and find some tea bargains."

As much as she wanted to return to camp, Katara had a hard time refusing the old general any concession, and he _did_ make the most marvelous tea. So she merely smiled indulgingly and took her blind young friend companionably by the arm.

"Okay, then," she conceded with a wry grin, "I'll just let Sokka know we're going to look for some teas. I'm sure a little extra time in the market won't hurt."

* * *

Momo perched on the edge of the swaying wagon, every muscle tensed and green eyes trained on the spot of light dancing across the rear bed of the cart. A low purr rumbled in his tiny throat as he waited for the right instant to pounce. 

The dot of light skittered to and fro and then finally stopped, shimmering against the rough wood. Seeing this as the opportune moment, he lept on top of it with a sharp trill, but when he opened his hands to examine his prize, he found them empty. Chirruping in confusion, his gaze fetched about the cart until he found his quarry once more.

From his spot at the front of the wagon, facing backward with his arm folded across the seat and his chin resting on them, Zuko grinned with amusement, tilting the shiny silver bracelet in his hand, and sending the reflected noon sunlight zooming around the wagon-bed for Momo to chase. It was a juvenile way to pass the time but, despite this undeniable fact, he couldn't help but be entertained by it.

There was something so very refreshing about this kind of activity; it was pure and simple play unlike anything he'd done in…years at the very least…quite possibly _ever_. And the fact that there was no one there to judge or jibe him for it was wholly liberating.

His face lit up with a smile as Momo finally figured out that Zuko held the source of the roving beam of light and he swooped toward the prince instead, landing on his forearm and grasping for the sparkling bracelet. Still grinning, Zuko quickly tucked the trinket away and placated the lemur with a vigorous rub behind the ears.

Beside them, Junjie was merrily humming off-key, for once not butchering the song with half-remembered lyrics. Suddenly the humming ceased and the cart shuddered to a stop at the crest of a hill overlooking the harbor town in the distance.

"Well, lookie there," he marveled cheerfully, "a parade! Betcha' ain't seen one o' them in a while, eh Kruton?"

Hearing yet _another_ mispronounced version of his alias, Zuko let out a defeated sigh and turned to face forward.

"It's Kuz-" he began out of pure habit, but the words died on his lips when he caught site of the view below.

His blood seemed to chill in his veins as he took in the sight of an entire division of Fire Nation troops filing into the small city, and his voice carried a note of grim dread when he spoke again.

"That's no parade…"

* * *

Sokka was waiting at the designated spot in the main square, sitting on one of the many benches surrounding an impressive dragon statue situated in the center of the plaza, and happily finishing off the last of his second komodo sausage skewer. His spirits had lifted considerably now that his belly was full and he had a generous amount of spiced jerky for later. He'd even picked up a new whetstone for sharpening his boomerang as well as some inexpensive scrolls detailing a few basic sword techniques. 

After taking a moment to lick his fingers with healthy satisfaction, he dug out the scrolls and began going through them, gazing at the images with a look of focused concentration. If he wasn't going to have the benefit of a real instructor, then he was just going to teach himself.

So intent was he on his study that he didn't even notice when the surrounding crowds parted with murmurs of hushed awe. In fact, it wasn't until he felt the ground shudder under the weight of some two dozen armored rhinos that he looked up from his reading.

His heart sank into his stomach when he realized they were marching straight toward him.

* * *

Despite the frantic pace at which his heart was beating, Zuko remained outwardly calm as he reached into his tunic and brought forth the drawing he'd done of Ursa. 

"Junjie, when I first came to you, I told you I was looking for this woman," he said urgently, holding the image aloft so Junjie could see it.

"Hey, I know her," the old man crowed, then rubbed his chin distractedly as he looked around at the landscape, "lives 'round 'ere in fact…"

"Yes, I _know_," interrupted Zuko impatiently, "that's why you _brought_ me here, remember?"

Junjie seemed not to hear as his shaggy brows knit together in thought. "Now what was 'er name…?"

"That's not important," the prince insisted quickly, putting the picture away. "Can you just tell me where to find her house?"

"Oh sure!" nodded Junjie, "It's a big ol' estate jus' outside th' east end o'town, right by th' coast. Ye can't miss it!"

Once armed with a clear direction of where he needed to go, Zuko began gathering up his things as he spoke.

"Thank you for all your help, Junjie. I think I can find my way from here."

"Ye sure ye don' wanna ride in'ta town?" asked the old man as he watched Zuko climb down from the wagon.

Zuko shook his head as he strapped his swords to his back. "It's best if no one sees me with you."

"Oooh, so _that's_ how it is eh?" remarked the old man slyly. "No no," he continued dismissively in response to Zuko's questioning look, "ye ain't hurtin' me' feelins none. I was a young'un once too, an' ye can't make a good impression on th' ladies with an ol' geezer 'round, can ya?"

Deciding it best not to refute Junjie's mistaken line of thinking, Zuko merely shrugged a let out an awkward chuckle as Momo alighted on his shoulder.

"Well, go on then," prompted the old man.

Zuko nodded, and was about to turn away, when suddenly Junjie's hand shot out and gripped the prince tightly by the arm. Startled, Zuko looked up to see Junjie's clear grey eyes burning into him with fierce intensity.

"He is not the last," he whispered fervently. "There are others if you know where to look for them."

Shrinking back in alarm, the prince could only stare at the man in wide-eyed shock. But before he could ask for an explanation, Junjie's face broke into a wide grin, the passionate clarity replaced once more with his customary, befuddled composure.

"Whelp! It was good meetin' ye!" he chirped happily, then he reached out and patted Momo on the head endearingly, "Bye-bye, kitty."

And with that, Junjie snapped the reins and started off down the road, leaving Zuko still reeling from the strange outburst only a moment before. Shaking his head, he turned and began walking in the other direction. He was about to dismiss the occurrence as another manifestation of Junjie's senility when the old man's voice called back after him.

"See ya' around, Zuko!"

The prince halted in his tracks with a gasp, but when he spun around, the wagon had crested the rise of the hill and was already out of sight.

* * *

Both girls were grinning as they made their way through the bustling streets, pleased with the purchases they had made: two small boxes of fine tea, some sausages for dinner, and a bulging bag of fresh fruit and vegetables. 

"I can't believe I got such a good price on these rare jade leaves," Toph exclaimed happily. "Iroh's going to be thrilled."

"Yeah," agreed Katara, "I don't think that guy expected you to know so much about teas. You were really impressive."

"I know," shrugged the blind girl smugly. "But really, it's typical of most people. They realize I'm blind and just _expect_ me to be helpless."

"Not every blind person can see with their feet, Toph," reasoned Katara.

"But that's just it!" argued Toph, "my bending had nothing to do with it. The things I've learned from Iroh don't rely on that. It's just touch and smell; something _any_one can do. People seem to think that just because I can't _see_, I can't do anything else either. It's annoying."

"Well, you certainly changed that tea seller's mind," Katara giggled. "He'll probably never look at a blind person the same way again."

"Then my work here is done!"

Over the course of their conversation, the crowd had thickened as they neared their destination until they were unable to go any further.

"What's with all the people?" wondered Toph aloud.

"I don't know," the water bender mused. "Come on, let's find out."

Taking her friend by the arm, she began pushing her way through the throng of bodies, weaving between the people to get closer to the front of the crowd with Toph in tow. When they finally broke free into the main square, Katara stopped and gasped. There were Fire Nation soldiers everywhere; some mounted on war rhinos, others standing in regimented lines.

"Oh no," she breathed, and then leaning down toward Toph, whispered urgently, "We need to find Sokka and get out of here."

"I already found him," Toph answered grimly, holding a hand up and pointing toward a crowd of young men.

Looking in that direction, Katara spotted her brother surrounded by no less than fifty other boys his age, all of whom were being addressed by a burly looking soldier. She watched in dread as he turned and caught sight of her, lifting his hand in a half-hearted wave with a look of resignation on his face.

She was about to head over there and find out what was going on when a woman next to her held her back.

"The time for farewells is over, my dear," she admonished kindly.

"What do you mean?" panicked Katara, "that's my brother over there!"

"Oh, a brother!" the elderly woman smiled, "you must be so proud!"

"Proud? I don't even know what's going on!"

"Why, conscription, dearie. Didn't you hear?"

"Hear what?" Katara whispered with a growing horror.

"They've lowered the age requirements," stated the woman cheerfully.

Turning back to look at her brother, Katara felt her heart nearly stop and her eyes went wide with disbelief as the lady finished her explanation.

"Your brother is a Fire Nation soldier now."

Commercial break

* * *

**Author's note:** Well, the tree is trimmed, the presents bought, and the relatives visited. Whew! Of course, I still have cookies to bake, my son's holiday party at school to attend, and tons of wrapping to do…oh, and two days left at work...ugh. 

So I may or may not get another chapter up before Christmas. I will TRY, but I won't make any promises. This is a busy time of year for a working mom, and writing time is scarce (hence, the lateness of this update…for which I deeply apologize.)

ALSO, as promised, the scene Steamboat Ghost selected for me to draw is now available for viewing at my DeviantArt page (all new artwork will be posted there from now on, so be sure to check there for updates! see my bio for the link or go to wrensharpbeak(dot)deviantart(dot)com ).

Thank you again, Steamboat! Your reviews are always a joy to read.

And thank you also to the rest of you who so graciously leave comments, reactions, critiques, and encouragement. I'll be selecting another reader from this story's reviews and that person will get to pick what scene from my series I will illustrate next.

So speak up, be honest, and let me know what you think!

* * *


	4. Ch 4 Refrain

**Quick note:** In the previous chapter, I got east and west mixed up in my mental map of the area, and had Junjie telling Zuko that the house was on the west side of town, when it should have been east. That has been corrected.

**Author's note:** I actually got a nice bit of quiet time to sit down and write, so here is a new chapter as my holiday gift to all of you! And if I don't get the chance to update again before Christmas, then may you all have a wonderful and joyous day!

_And now, back to the 'show'!_

* * *

Katara felt as if her whole world was crumbling around her…again. It wasn't enough that her mother had been lost in a Fire Nation raid, that her father then went off to fight in the war and had been absent from her life for two long years. Now her brother was being taken from her too, filed in among the ranks of the enemy as one of their own. 

This couldn't be happening. She was not going to _let_ this happen.

With steely determination, she stepped out of the crowd with every intention of taking her brother back by force. But before she could impulsively dash out across the square to him, she felt a vice-like hand clamp down on her arm.

"Katara, we _can't_!" Toph hissed in her ear.

Without saying another word, and not waiting for the older girl to respond, the small but deceptively strong earth bender started dragging her friend back through the throng of people. Once they were in a side alley, away from the ears of the crowd, Katara yanked her arm out of Toph's grasp, spinning on her angrily.

"What are you doing?" Katara demanded harshly. "We can't just leave Sokka!"

"Well we can't take on an entire garrison of fire benders either!" the blind girl snapped, stomping her foot for emphasis.

"I am _not_ going to stand by and do nothing," Katara growled, turning away to head back to the plaza.

"Right now, we _have _to," argued Toph adamantly, once again grabbing the water bender by the arm and holding her steadfastly in place. But her voice softened and she relaxed her grip as she continued. "I don't like abandoning him any more than you do, but there are just too many soldiers here, and getting ourselves captured or killed isn't going to help him."

As much as Katara wanted to deny this logic, she knew that Toph was right, giving her no other option but to resign herself, and her brother, to their current situation.

"Besides," Toph added hopefully, "Iroh might know of a way to get Sokka out of the army. He _was_ a general after all. Maybe there's a loophole or something."

While she didn't put much faith in this possibility, Katara nonetheless merely nodded her head in defeat.

* * *

Sokka's eyes anxiously skimmed the crowd, completely ignoring the condescending speech being given by one of the 'recruiters'. He'd caught sight of Katara once, but when he looked back toward her a second time, she was gone. Craning his head to see around the other boys he was gathered with, he hoped (prayed) she wasn't up to something as stupid as a rescue attempt. It would be suicide. 

Still fretting over this likelihood as he cast his gaze about the plaza, he didn't even notice the shadow that fell over him until the burly sergeant leaned down and barked into his face.

"Pay attention, soldier!"

"Yessir!" Sokka squeaked, whipping his eyes forward and thumping a fist to his chest in a sloppy salute, earning him a few sympathetic glances from the other boys nearby.

The intimidating officer seemed about to shout something else when a younger man rushed up and handed him a scroll.

"Is this all of them?" demanded the sergeant crisply, unrolling the paper.

"Yes, Sir. The general is ready to leave."

The sergeant glanced over the page briefly, nodded, and then turned to address the new recruits as he rolled it back up.

"All right, _girls_, you heard the man. Now move out!"

The group of boys turned as one, and began slowly marching out of the town square. Just as Sokka was about to take one last look around for his sister, the sergeant yelled in his direction.

"And keep your eyes forward!"

Sokka immediately snapped to attention and continued walking, deciding it was best to obey.

* * *

The long line of soldiers leaving the city looked like little more than tiny ants from the distant hillock where Zuko was crouched. He had originally intended to stay on the overgrown path leading around the east end of the town down to the sea. But curiosity got the better of him, and before he could think better of it, he had crept to the top of the hill, staying close to the ground where he could stay hidden in the tall grass. 

Relief washed over him when saw that they maintained their course heading south instead of fanning out into search party formations. When a soft trill from Momo on his shoulder reminded him that he still could be spotted if he wasn't careful, he gently eased himself backward down the rise of the hill.

He still had a house to find.

* * *

It was mid afternoon by the time Katara and Toph returned to the camp and Aang lept up on a gust of air to greet them with a big grin as they approached. 

"Hey guys! How was-" he stopped abruptly when he noticed the expressions of worry and sorrow on their faces. Then looking past them, he realized something even more disturbing. A wave of anxiety settled over him and his voice carried the full weight of his fears when spoke.

"What happened?"

Throughout the entire trip back, Katara had managed to keep herself together, stoically placing one foot before the other with numb automation. But as soon as she heard Aang's fretful question, her composure disintegrated like sand scattered by the wind, and she fell to her knees in tears. At the same time, Toph's head bowed forward in shame.

"Sokka was drafted," she stated dully.

At this, Iroh bounded to his feet in alarm, and he listened in shock as the earth bender continued with a tone of disquieting calm.

"While we were in town, an entire regiment of soldiers came in and rounded up every man between the ages of sixteen and twenty, and they're taking them to a training camp south of here. Sokka is with them."

It took a moment for Aang to recover from the abrupt news, but as soon as he did, he quickly stepped forward and kneeled down in front of Katara, placing his arms on her shoulders.

"We'll get him back, Katara," he assured her firmly, "I _promise_."

She tried to nod her head, but a sob overwhelmed her, and Aang drew her close instead, letting her cry onto his shoulder as he threw a tentative glance at the retired general.

But the resigned look of sorrow on Iroh's face didn't give the Avatar much hope that he'd be able to make good on his promise.

* * *

The afternoon sun beat down on the ranks of new recruits winding their way across the open countryside. All was silent except for the steady thump of feet and the occasional cough as dust was kicked up from the dirt road. 

Sokka looked around at the faces of the boys gathered with him, noting that some seemed excited, but a larger portion looked about as downcast as he felt.

"Man, I wish I hadn't worn these shoes today," grumbled a teen to his right. "My feet are killing me."

"I hear the standard issue boots are worse," remarked another boy dully.

"That's not true!" piped up a gangly lad from behind Sokka. "My brother let me try on his pair once, and I thought they were comfy!"

"No talking within ranks," commanded a burly teen haughtily from just in front of Sokka.

"Who made you the sergeant?" scoffed the boy with the sore feet.

"Hey, my father is a-"

"Yeah, yeah, your father is a lieutenant," snapped the skinny one, "that doesn't make _you_ one, Chan!"

"Just you wait, 'Zero'" sneered Chan, "I bet I'll be your commanding officer is less than a week."

"It's _Zhi'Ru_," said the skinny boy through clenched teeth with his fists balling at his sides.

"Whatever."

"Grr, if I were a fire bender-"

"You'd what? Challenge me to an Agni Kai?" jeered Chan as he looked over his shoulder, lighting up a ball of fire in his hand with threatening intent.

Sandwiched front and back between the two bickering boys, Sokka feared he'd need to start ducking blows when another teen in full uniform, who looked to be less than a year older than Sokka, stepped in from outside the ranks and smacked Chan's hand down.

"That's enough!" he shouted forcefully.

Chan reacted immediately to the uniform with respect.

"Yes, Sir! Sorry, Sir!"

"All of you keep your traps shut and march," ordered the soldier. "We're nearing the camp and Sergeant Kang will not stand for loudmouths and troublemakers among his recruits."

"Yes, Sir!" the boys surrounding Sokka all shouted in unison.

With a satisfied nod, the uniformed youth stalked away, his eyes continuing to scan the troops as he briskly continued his rounds up and down the line. Sokka watched him go, and then glanced once more at the boys around him letting out a doleful sigh.

How was he going to get out of this?

* * *

Waves of orange and purple blazed across the windswept sky, the late sun bathing the landscape in scarlet and gold. Long shadows stretched out into the overgrown lawn of an empty mansion and weedy vines twisted through the gaping cracks crisscrossing the backs of two massive stone dragons flanking the front gate. 

Zuko's shoulders slumped slightly in defeat; the place looked utterly abandoned. Lost in his own frustration at having come to yet another dead end in his search for Ursa, he didn't notice the hunched figure hobbling up the path from the rocky beach.

"You there," grated a female voice, "what are you doing?"

Startled, he spun around to see an old woman, one hand gripped around a gnarled cane, and the other awkwardly hugging a large wicker basket that smelled of freshly caught fish to her chest. Letting this slide down to the ground with a sodden thump, she boldly took a few steps forward.

"I…I'm here looking for someone," he answered hesitantly, pulling the drawing out of his tunic and holding it up to the woman. "Have you seen her?"

The crone snatched the paper from his hand and held it close to her nose, squinting her eyes in what seemed to be an effort to focus on the page. Whether this effort was due to the failing light or poor eyesight, it was hard to say. She stared at it intently for a few seconds, let out a short 'hrmph'.

"Never seen her," she stated curtly, thrusting the image back at him.

"Oh," he responded, unable to hide his disappointment. Taking the page back, he carefully folded it up and tucked it away again, turning back to look at the ruined manor as he did so. "I was told she might live here."

"Not been anyone living in that house for over twenty years," the woman informed him brusquely.

He hung his head sadly. "I see."

Wrinkled eyes regarded the hooded teen thoughtfully for a moment, softening at one point and then tightening with aged resolve. A brooding hum rattled in her throat and one gnarled finger rubbed the worn tip of her cane before she nodded and emitted another 'hrmph'.

"Well, no point staying out here where you'll get rained on," she quipped in an admonishing tone and started walking away.

Zuko blinked and glanced at the sky, then at the woman.

"How do you know it's going to rain?"

His question was met with a wry toothy grin as she turned back to face him, tapping her stick against her knee.

"I can feel it in my bones," she rasped with conspiratory humor.

With that she began hobbling off again, leaving the prince standing by her basket. After taking a few steps, she pivoted yet again, pointing her cane at the container expectantly.

"Well come on then," she prompted before moving off once more down the path.

He looked at the basket, then at her retreating back. Momo's head popped up out of the satchel at Zuko's hip, and the lemur gazed up at him with bright eyes and an inquisitive purr. Glancing down at his traveling companion, the prince merely shrugged.

Seeing no other recourse, he picked up the basket and followed after the old woman. And when Momo reached out a hand with the intention of sneaking one of the pungent fish from the basket and into the satchel, Zuko muttered warningly under his breath.

"Don't even think about it."

* * *

**_All I want for Christmas is for everyone who is reading this to leave a review…_ :-)**


	5. Ch 5 Integrity

Upon arrival at the training camp shortly after dusk, the new recruits were marched off to one of three large tents where each boy was handed a rucksack full of clothing, and then pointed to a bunk. No sooner were they settled into their beds, a higher-ranking fire bender whisked out the lanterns and plunged them all into darkness with strict orders to keep silent.

Although his body ached from the long march and sleep was quickly overtaking him, Sokka couldn't help but berate himself for upping the age printed on his forged traveling papers. Never mind that his birthday was only a few months away; he just _had_ to say he was sixteen already.

_Stupid! Stupid, stup_-

The silent tirade faded into nothing as he let out a loud snore.

* * *

Stars still glittered overhead, and only the barest tinge of crimson bled into the violet sky to the east. Inside the tents, the new recruits were still snoring soundly when suddenly the crash and clash of metal jolted them with various shouts of surprise and alarm from their bunks. 

"Wake up, girlies!" shouted a gruff officer, "fire bender or not, everyone here rises with the sun!"

"What sun?" groaned a sleepy Sokka before he could think better of it. He realized his mistake when a shouting face thrust itself into his own.

"The one that's going to blister your flesh when I assign you to dig privies all day if you give me anymore lip, soldier!"

Sokka gulped nervously before yelping, "Yes, Sir!"

Straightening up and addressing the rest of the bleary-eyed assembly, the officer continued.

"Let's move it, ladies!" he goaded, "anyone not in the mess tent in five minutes goes without food for the day!"

The sounds of shuffling and stumbling throughout the room shuddered to a halt as everyone stopped dead in their tracks. None of them had any dinner upon arrival the night before, and the thought of missing another meal was not a pleasant prospect. It took a moment for the hungry teens to process this grave threat, but as soon as they did, the tent burst into raucous activity as they all scrambled over one another to get dressed and out the door.

* * *

As it turned out, 'food' was a generous description for the breakfast being served. Heaping ladles of lukewarm brown mush were scooped out of a large vat and unceremoniously plopped onto each tray as it passed. When Sokka's portion was slammed into the center of his waiting plate, he looked down at it with a mixture of disappointment and disgust. 

"What _is_ it?" he wondered aloud, taking a tentative sniff and then immediately drawing away from the pungent odor.

"Something you'll learn to like unless you want to starve," answered the teen ahead of him with a short chuckle. Sokka recognized him as the same young soldier who broke up the previous day's argument.

"I'd tell you what's in it," he continued amicably as he moved down the line and grabbed a cup of some tart smelling liquid, "but it'll go down easier if you don't know." He pulled a slight face as if recollecting an unpleasant memory, and then added with a knowing smile, "Trust me."

With that, the boy walked away to join a group of older soldiers, leaving Sokka alone to find a place to sit as well. Seeing some of the others he'd walked alongside on the journey there, he stuck with what little familiarity he could get under the unsettling circumstances and sat down beside them. By the looks on their faces as they ate, they weren't very thrilled with the cuisine.

Sokka apprehensively took up a glob in his chopsticks and put it in his mouth, fearing the worst. A few thoughtful chews later however, his face brightened. It actually tasted much better than it smelled. The meat mixture was almost overwhelmingly briny, with a strong gamey flavor not unlike frost-dried tiger-seal.

About the only difference was the texture; this stuff required far less chewing. So it was with fond reflection of his familiar homeland dish that he began digging in, ignoring the conversation around him.

"Bleh! This stuff tastes like salted meat-mash!" complained Zhi'Ru.

"More like _over_-salted meat-mash!" bemoaned another, letting a glop of the stuff fall back onto his plate with a gooey splat. "They don't really expect us to _eat_ this do they?"

By now, Sokka was already halfway done with his food, attracting the attention of the others seated with him. It wasn't until silence descended on the table that the misplaced warrior looked up and realized his dinner companions were staring at him with jaws agape in a mixture of awe and disbelief.

Still chewing on a mouthful of food, he glanced around with a guileless shrug.

"What?"

* * *

Zuko rose with the first rays of the sun, although the tiny one room cottage was still shrouded in deep shadows. Careful not to wake the kind old woman who had taken him in for the night, he summoned a tiny bit of flame in one hand so he could find his way to the door. As he stole across the open space, he passed by the dining table and was surprised to find a note there next to a plate of fresh fruit and a small, lidded basket bound with twine. 

Holding the flame closer to the paper as he picked it up, he read it in a whisper.

"You can't travel on an empty stomach. Have some breakfast and take the basket for the road."

A smile flickered across his face as he set the page down and glanced over at his host who was still snoring softly on her pallet near the hearth. Shaking his head in slight wonder at her foresight (_how did she know he'd try to sneak away at dawn?_), he handed a large papaya to the lemur perched on his shoulder, nestled the basket into his bag, and then took a couple peaches for himself.

Just as he was about to step over the threshold into the cool morning air, he turned toward the sleeping form and bowed, softly uttering his sincere gratitude.

"Thank you…for everything."

At the soft click of the door latching shut, the old woman's eyes cracked open. Even in the dim gloom, she could see that the basket on the table was gone, and a good portion of the fruit was missing as well. Tucking a wry, knowing grin into the corner of her wrinkled mouth, she rolled over and went back to sleep.

* * *

With a short but sufficient night's rest and a full stomach, Sokka was finally able to think clearly about his situation. But as he and the other recruits gathered for their first day of training, he came to the conclusion that things didn't look too promising. 

There was no way he'd be able to get a message to the others and, looking around at the multitude of soldiers moving throughout the complex, figured there was little to no chance of simply sneaking away from camp. And without Appa to make a clean get away, he knew that Aang and the others would not try something as dangerous and foolhardy as busting him out of there…at least they _better_ not.

So all he could really do was stick it out and bide his time. If he kept a low profile and avoided getting too friendly with anyone, he could make a break for it the first chance he got and (hopefully) not be missed. It was well known that deserters didn't get very far; Chey and Jeong Jeong were the rare exception.

In the meantime, there just might be some advantages to spending a day or two among the ranks of the Fire Nation military. If nothing else, he could keep his eyes and ears open for information; find weakness in the enemy's defense that could possibly be exploited on the Day of Black Sun.

Yeah, he could make this work.

Cheered by his new plan, he immediately put it into motion by listening attentively to the conversation of the surrounding recruits.

"Hey, Zhi'Ru," asked one of the boys, "your brother is in the army, any idea what's going on?"

Sokka glanced over at the gangly teen, equally eager for a response, and he noticed that the boy looked rather pale and apprehensive.

"Skill assessment," Zhi'Ru answered faintly.

"What's that?" wondered another boy.

"Well, from what my brother told me," began Zhi'Ru, "First they-"

"All right, everyone! Listen up!" interrupted a young corporal approaching the assembly. "If there any of you here with fire bending abilities, I want you front and center, now!"

Apparently, Chan was the only fire bender among them, for when he stepped forward he did so alone. The officer looked him over appraisingly.

"Demonstrate your highest level set," he ordered.

Chan smirked as he took his stance, and then quickly launched into an impressive fire bending display that Sokka instantly recognized from watching Aang and Zuko train. It was, in fact, the same set Aang had showed them that night they spent at the abandoned temple just before leaving for the Fire Nation. He also noted with a hint of inexplicable pride that Aang had performed it better.

"Wow, he's pretty good," whispered a boy next to Sokka.

"Eh, I've seen a twelve-year old do better," quipped the water tribesman with an unimpressed shrug, ignorant of the incredulous looks he earned from those who caught the exchange.

Still, it seemed sufficient for the corporal, for he nodded in approval.

"That will do," he stated curtly, "if you will come with me."

Turning on his heel, the officer strode off. Chan paused only long enough to glance over his shoulder with a haughty sneer.

"See ya around, _losers_!"

The other boys only glared at Chan's retreating back, Zhi'Ru crossing his arms with an irritated scowl.

"He thinks he's so special just because he's a bender," he muttered.

"Pft, aren't they _all_ that way?" scoffed another teen.

"No," answered Sokka impulsively, more to himself that anyone around him. But a handful of boys overheard, and they regarded him with surprise as he finished quietly, "they aren't."

* * *

All conversation was hastily ended when a host of soldiers approached, breaking apart the group of boys, and fitting them up with padded armor. Wooden swords were handed to each before they were thrust into small, individually roped-off areas. 

In the pen beside him, Sokka noticed that Zhi'Ru was the only one who didn't appear bewildered like the others, and the way Sokka himself felt. Instead, the lanky teen was standing with shoulders slumped in a posture of defeat. Sokka only barely caught the sound of a disheartened sigh.

"I'm not going to last ten seconds."

Before Sokka had a chance to ask Zhi'Ru what he meant, his attention was drawn to Sergeant Kang, who stepped forward surrounded by more soldiers wearing padded armor, their faces hidden by slotted faceguards.

Although their brown, padded leather outfits were markedly different from traditional Fire Nation uniforms, Sokka couldn't help but be cowed somewhat by their formidable appearance. The sight of so many masked visages was ominously reminiscent of times he'd faced the Fire Nation in the past: such as the day that they invaded his tribe, taking the life his mother (among others), or when they marched down the crystalline streets of the Northern Water Tribe, leaving a swath of destruction in their wake.

His breath came in short gasps for a few moments before he finally got a hold of himself. But nothing could dispel the sense of surrealism with which he was faced; they thought _he_ was one of _them_. And they expected him to do what they told him out of a sense of duty to the very cause he was trying to end. It was like a bad dream.

As a single massive unit, the masked soldiers quickly moved forward and stepped into each occupied pen. Silence descended on the field as the new recruits watched the sergeant, waiting for him to speak.

"At the sound of the gong, each of you will attack your opponent," he explained, "and you will continue fighting until one of you declares defeat."

Sokka's blood was rushing so loudly in his ears that it completely drowned out the sergeant's speech, and his hands were sweating as they gripped the handle of the wooden sword until his knuckles blanched. Glancing down and seeing this, he forced himself to relax. In his mind, he could hear Zuko's voice during the only sword lesson he'd managed to get from the fire bender before they'd parted ways in Kazimizu.

"_You need to loosen your grip, Sokka," Zuko admonished. "Think of the sword as an extension of your own arm. It's part of you, and should be able to move as freely as you do."_

"_But won't I drop it?"_

_Zuko cocked his head to one side with a sardonic smirk. "If I hit your fist, would your hand fall off?"_

"_Well...um...no."_

"_And why not?"_

"_Because it's attached! Besides, I can absorb the force of the blow and-" Sokka stopped abruptly as the instruction clicked in his brain. "Use the momentum to reposition for an attack!" he finished triumphantly._

"_Exactly," Zuko grinned. It was one of the first _full_ smiles Sokka had ever seen on Zuko's face._

With a deep breath, the disoriented warrior finally found a sense of calm. And he was still lost in these helpful recollections when a sudden deep-toned chime rent the tranquil air.

The gong had sounded and it was time to fight.

**

* * *

Author's Note:** Well, I tried to get this up before the year ended, but I just couldn't seem to get myself motivated. Review counts on the first three chapters were a lot lower than I had hoped, and of the over 250 people that I estimate are reading this series, only about 50 deigned give me the one present I wanted most for Christmas…a review. I'm afraid it left me a little depressed. Ah well, the reviews I _did_ get were deeply appreciated and greatly enjoyed. Thank you! 

On a much happier note!

I FINALLY got my first piece of fan-art from one of my readers. I've seen other writers sporting links to awesome drawings done by their fans, and after going at this project for over a year, I was beginning to think I'd never be so lucky as to have one done for me. But someone did, and I'm absolutely THRILLED.

So to anyone who'd like see the hilarious piece Steamboat Ghost did of Sokka with the rhino, jump on over to my bio page and click the link near the top. Thank you, Steamboat; that was the best present _ever_!

* * *


	6. Ch 6 Honesty

There was almost no time to react as a wooden sword came whistling toward Sokka's head, and only his instinct to duck spared him a nasty blow. His yelp of alarm could be heard even over the tumult of the other duels going on around him. He'd no sooner spun out of harm's way than the sword came hurtling at him again, but this time he managed to use his own to block it.

With reflexes born of dodging fire blasts and jabbing fingers, he evaded two more strikes before finally launching one of his own. It was more of a panicked swing than a precise attack, but the desperate bid worked, and Sokka was able to force his opponent back a step in order to parry. But another lunge later had the water tribe warrior once more letting out a startled cry as he swerved to avoid being hit.

Taking a lesson from the Kyoshi Warriors, he quickly used the force of the other boy's advance to circle around and get behind him, trying for another assault before his enemy recovered. It almost worked, and had Sokka been any less light on his feet, they'd have been swiped out from under him when his opponent merely continued his momentum and spun completely around, sword leading.

In the other sparring rings, most of the fighting had already ceased, the new recruits having been defeated by their more skilled opponents in a matter of moments. But Sokka and his adversary persisted, drawing the attention of Sergeant Kang and his aide who walked over to watch more closely.

The crack and thwack of wood smacking against wood echoed across the camp as the two boys continued their match, both now breathing hard with exertion. Kang crossed his arms and glanced at the junior officer beside him with one eyebrow raised appraisingly.

"Well, he's certainly quick," offered the corporal.

"Tenacious too," mused Kang.

"Not much skill with a blade though," observed the younger man.

Kang nodded, "That can be learned."

By now, all of the other recruits and soldiers had gathered around to watch the last two remaining combatants. Sokka, however, was oblivious to his audience; he was far too focused on avoiding and blocking the whirlwind of wood that kept pressing down on him. It wasn't until he heard a booming voice that his concentration was broken.

"That will do!"

Startled by the sound, Sokka turned just as the other boy finished a swing that he couldn't retract and, as a result, the water tribe boy was caught neatly behind the ankle. Sokka landed on his back with a thud.

"…ow."

A second later, there was hand hovering above him, and Sokka looked up into the smirking face of the same soldier who'd spoken to him in the breakfast line and who broke up the fight the day before. His hair clung in sweaty clumps to his forehead, and his sparring helmet was cradled in the crook of his other arm.

"You're a nimble little spit," the teen chuckled as he hauled Sokka to his feet.

"Uh…thanks?" was all Sokka could say before Sergeant Kang intervened.

The other boy snapped to attention with a crisp salute as the sergeant approached, looking at both of them critically.

"It seems you've found yourself a worthy opponent," Kang remarked to Sokka's adversary.

"Yes, Sir!" agreed the boy.

Then coming to stand before Sokka, Kang addressed him gruffly, "What's your name, Private?"

"It's S-, uh, Li…" Sokka stuttered, before adding hastily, "Um…sir!"

Kang merely nodded, apparently heedless of the near slip, and then turned once more to the other teen.

"Renzu!"

"Yes, Sir!"

"Take Private Li back to the barracks to collect his gear. He'll be joining your unit."

"Yes, Sir!" Renzu replied with a bow.

Spinning on his heel to face the gathered recruits still gawking at the spectacle they'd just witnessed, Kang barked so suddenly and loudly that they all visibly jumped.

"As for the rest of you babies, you're about to learn the hard way what Fire Lord Ozai expects from his soldiers! Fifty push-ups, NOW!"

Bodies clattered to the ground, groaning under the weight of their padded armor as they began their exercise. Renzu quietly tapped Sokka on the arm.

"Let's go."

Completely at a loss as to what was going on, Sokka spared one last glance at his fellow recruits, then followed after Renzu. Somehow, he had a feeling that that 'blending in' and 'being inconspicuous' just got a _lot_ harder.

* * *

Zuko pulled halfheartedly on the door handle of the dilapidated manor house, not expecting anything to happen. And, just as he figured, the place was locked tight. Glancing along the weed infested porch, he noticed that all the windows were boarded shut, but that one of them looked to have been compromised. 

Walking over to it, he peered into the small gap where one of the boards was missing. As much as he didn't want to vandalize the place, he still wanted to take a look around inside, and this seemed to be the most promising way in. He took a step back, still contemplating his next move when Momo jumped off his shoulder and darted through the hole into the house.

"Momo!" called Zuko in a harsh whisper, "What are you doing?! Get back here!"

He paused, pressing his face against the small opening trying to catch sight of his small companion in the dusty gloom, but he was nowhere to be seen.

"Where did you _go_?"

With a growl of frustration, the prince stepped back and took a stance, meaning to bust through the boards. But a click and a loud creak off to his left stopped him in mid-kick.

Smoothly redirecting his aim to face toward the noise, he halted his attack when he saw that one of the double doors to the house was now ajar. Momo's head popped out from between them, the creature chattering triumphantly. The fire bender sighed as he dropped from his stance and crossed his arms.

"You know, we really need to find a way to communicate better," Zuko grumbled, walking toward the door.

Unaffected by his companion's ire, the lemur merely purred as he took his customary place on Zuko's shoulder. Shaking his head slightly, the prince stepped into the forsaken home.

Everything inside was draped in a thick, gray blanket of dust, and cobwebs trailed across the rafters and from the tops of the covered chairs and tables down to the leaf-strewn floor. Here and there, a vine poked up through the floorboards and twisted its way around the room. Sunlight filtered dimly through cracks in the shuttered windows, casting everything in a pale luminescence and shimmering through the dust drifting through the air.

It was plainly obvious that no one had been here in decades.

With a defeated sigh, Zuko was about to turn and leave when he noticed something unusual on the floor. There seemed to be a pathway through the dust and debris, as if a swath of fabric had been dragged across the floor starting at the front door and meandering around the room until it disappeared into the shadows near a fight of stairs leading up.

Someone _had_ been here…and from the looks of it, it wasn't too long ago.

* * *

Three youths sat despondently around their small camp, trying to keep themselves occupied with mindless distractions. Toph picked diligently at the clumps of dirt and mud stuck between her toes while Aang busied himself by repeatedly lighting a tiny flame in the palm of one hand, opening his hand to ignite it, and then extinguishing it by closing his fist again. 

Only Katara sat idle, staring numbly at the cold remains of last night's fire. No one had complained when she didn't cook that morning, and even though it was nearing noon, neither Aang nor Toph was about to suggest she fix lunch.

Suddenly, Toph stopped her toe picking and sat up straight.

"He's back."

All three of them jumped to their feet as Iroh crested the rise of the hill. As he neared, they saw that his face looked weary and the lines that creased his brow seemed deeper than when he'd left that morning. It was a clear sign that he did not bring good news.

He said nothing as he sat down and shot a quick burst of flame at the campfire then set the teakettle on its cradle to warm. He waved a hand indicating they should sit, and he waited until they did so before he spoke.

"Short of Sokka missing a limb, there is nothing that will get him discharged from the army," he stated sadly. "But!" he added pulling out his bag of tea laves and sifting through them, "All hope is not lost. The regiment he's in is apparently bound for the capital, and they will be at Port Shukumei in a week to finish their training."

"Port Shukumei?" interrupted Aang optimistically, "but that's where we're supposed to meet up with Zian to get Appa back!"

"Yes," confirmed Iroh, "with any luck we'll be able to get both Appa _and_ Sokka back at the same time."

While Aang and Toph smiled in hopeful relief at the news, Katara merely hugged her knees to her chest. Seeing the doubt and despair in her face, Iroh laid a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry," he said consolingly, "we have a week to work on a plan. And I promise we'll come up with one even your brother would be proud of."

A weak smile in response was the best she could manage.

* * *

Not a word was spoken between the two boys as they went to collect Sokka's things from the main barracks. The misplaced water tribesman gathered his meager belongings in silence, wondering what sort of protocol there might be for asking questions about what the heck was going on. 

It wasn't until they left the large tent that Sokka finally got up the courage to speak.

"So uh…where am I going exactly?"

"You'll be training with the same unit I'm in," explained Renzu with a shrug, "and we're on the other side of the camp."

"Oh."

"You should be proud of yourself, Li," Renzu continued amicably. "Getting picked from the first round of skill assessments is pretty rare. Where'd you learn to fight like that anyway?"

"Oh, well, I've...uh…traveled around a lot and um…I sort of picked a few things up here and there," answered Sokka uncomfortably. A skeptical glance from the other boy prompted Sokka to add hurriedly, "I'm from the colonies."

"Aah, a colonial! Which one you from?"

"Um…Bìmíng."

"Oooh," Renzu cringed, making a face as though having just witnessed someone taking a nasty hit. Then he laughed, "No _wonder_ you move so fast. I hear that's one rough town."

"Yeah, well, you uh…get used it," the warrior replied rubbing the back of his neck, wondering just how much he would be able to build on this lie. Hoping to avert any more personal questions, Sokka ventured one of his own.

"So…this unit; this is like some special combat force or something?"

"_The_ special combat force," Renzu informed him with a note of pride, "hand picked from the ranks for the most important task the military has to offer. You've heard of the Rough Rhino's."

"Naturally!" Sokka confirmed nervously.

He decided not to mention the fact that he'd more than just _heard_ of them, he'd actually _met_ them…in a manner of speaking. But he wasn't sure he could weave a convincing tale of the encounter that didn't divulge the fact that he was fighting _against_ them at the time.

"Well, that's pretty much what we will be, a highly skilled unit of unique weapon specialists, but we will be the first such unit without a fire bender."

"And why is that?"

"Because for the mission we're getting, one won't help us."

By now, they'd reached a large enclosure within the camp, were several rows of mid-sized tents were pitched. Renzu held open the flap of one and motioned Sokka inside.

"What do you mean?" wondered Sokka as he began stowing his gear in an empty chest at the foot of one of the cots.

"Well, this isn't public knowledge but you'll find out soon enough anyway. The Fire Lord found out that there's going to be an eclipse in two weeks."

Sokka nearly dropped everything he was holding, but he managed to keep hold of it as he listened with growing dread.

"That's why they've gathered up so many new recruits," Renzu continued. "Everyone in this camp is being assigned to protect the capital, because we can't afford to pull troops from the colonies. They've been busy handling all those recent attacks over there."

"Yeah, I uh...heard about that," Sokka remarked uneasily, keeping his eyes focused on the gear he was putting away.

"Anyway, if the Avatar can't be captured before then, it's likely he'll be attacking on the Day of Black Sun, and that's where we come in."

Sokka gulped. "….We?"

"Yep, while all the fire benders are out of commission during the eclipse, we'll be springing a trap." Renzu clapped a hand companionably onto Sokka's shoulder, making the warrior jump slightly in alarm.

"So congratulations, Li! You're on the team that's going to take down the Avatar!"

_Commercial Break_

**

* * *

**

**Author's note: **I know many of you were a little disappointed with the lack of the Zuko and Gaang in the last chapter. But you have to understand that this 'episode' is really _Sokka's_ tale, and that the others only have minor parts in it. It's very difficult as a writer decide what to focus on for the sake of the plot, and in order to keep things moving, I sometimes have to sacrifice interesting (but ultimately needless) scenes.

So I'm sorry that not everyone gets equal 'air time', but that's really just the way it goes.

**Anyway! It's story time!** It's been far too long since I've done this, and for that, I apologize. So, here are a couple of good fics I'm currently following that you guys might want to read:

_Rising Phoenix_by HyacinthMacaw - WARNING! You may not want to read this if you haven't seen 'The Western Air Temple,' for it is set after that episode. But it's a beautifully written speculation and is definitely worth checking out if you don't mind a tiny spoiler here and there.

_Clasp_ by MacFie - This sequel to 'Parts of a Whole' is a wonderfully crafted, almost mystery-suspense type story featuring all your favorite characters from the first story and a few great new ones as well! If you haven't read 'Parts', then check it out before following it up with this!

_**AND! AND! AND! **_

I GOT NEW FAN-ART! _YAY! _

Go to http:// red-bird. deviantart. com/ art/ Meet-Junjie-D-73917586 (remove all spaces in the url) or look for the link on my bio page to see it!

Also, if anyone else feels inspired to draw something up and wants to send me the link, please remember that FanFiction auto deletes any and all URL links in both reviews and PM's. So be sure to add spaces after dots and slashes so that I can copy/paste the full link into my browser to take a look.


	7. Ch 7 Innocence

**IMPORTANT Author's note:** After many days (okay, _weeks_) of careful deliberation, I've come to the decision that this is the last 'episode' I will be writing. BUT! Before anyone panics or starts leaving me nasty reviews about what a quitter I am, let me assure you that _I AM GOING TO FINISH THE STORY_. _It simply won't be in episode form._

Instead, I will continue this as a connected, multi-chaptered series of one-shots. The reason I am changing to this new format is because it occurred to me that, at the rate I am going and by doing this in the manner I have been up until now, it will take me close to another _year_ to finish writing this series. I just don't have that in me.

More than anything, I want this story to be done and out of my head, so I can concentrate on enjoying the rest of the real '_Avatar: The Last Airbender'_. So instead of spending hours on end filling in the details, and coming up with the intricate little sub-plots for each 'episode', I can focus on simply posting all the individual scenes that have been rattling around in my brain for the past 13 months.

I'd also like to move on to some other concepts inspired by the 3rd season canon, and I really can't bring myself to do that while this story is still unfinished. With any luck, this change in format will also mean faster updates, all of which will be complete in their own right (no more commercial breaks or nasty cliffhangers!)

Think of it as a sort of 'skip to the good parts' version of the tale, where you will still get the main idea of what is happening in the primary meta-plot, but only by way of the more interesting character interactions which seem to be everyone's favorite part of my writing anyway.

I hope you all aren't too disappointed, and that you will refrain from flambéing me for my change in style. And please try to understand that this project has been great fun for me. Reading your reactions and knowing that I've helped fill the void between season two and three for so many people is something I never expected to accomplish when I started out.

Thank you all SO much for staying with this as long as you have. I will do my best to maintain the same level of humor, action, and heart that so many of you have expressed is the reason you read my work. You guys have NO idea how deeply it affects me to know that so many people enjoy my writing this much.

Okay, enough of my babbling! And now, back to the show!

* * *

It took the better part of the day for Zuko to search the house; it was much larger than it seemed on the outside and he was thorough in his examination. He poked through drawers and cupboards with a growing sense of inexplicable urgency. Something was here, and he _knew_ it, he simply had no idea _what_ it was or where he would find it. 

As the dying light of day sifted in through the shuttered windows, he finally sat down at the bottom of the stairs with a frustrated sigh.

"I'm missing something," he murmured to himself, "I _have_ to be."

Meanwhile, Momo was still flitting about the main parlor, curiously inspecting anything that caught his eye, and entertaining himself by crawling under the various sheets draped across the furniture. He was rummaging underneath the linen over the mantle when the whole thing came sliding down, carrying the lemur with it to the floor with a crash.

"Momo!"

Zuko lept up from his spot on the stairs and hurried over to the chattering and shifting pile of fabric. With a rueful shake of his head, the prince lifted it up to find Momo sheepishly blinking up at him surrounded by a pile of scattered knickknacks.

"You're just a disaster waiting to happen," he muttered with a grin, but the smile evaporated as his eyes fell on something unexpected.

His heart pounded in his chest as he reached down to pick up a small, framed portrait of two boys: a teenaged Fire Nation noble, and a grinning bald kid sporting an arrow on his forehead. While the teenager looked only vaguely familiar, there was absolutely _no_ mistaking the air bender in the picture.

Zuko voice was little more than a shocked gasp. "Aang!"

* * *

Sokka trudged wearily alongside Renzu back to their shared tent. His first day of training had been absolutely exhausting and every muscle in his body ached. But the real drain on his energy came from knowing what it was he was being trained _to do_. No matter how many times he went over it in his mind, he still could not think of a way to get out of this mess. 

He all but collapsed on his cot, and this in turn elicited a small chuckle from Renzu.

"You look like I felt after my first day," he observed amicably.

The only response Sokka could muster was a bleary-eyed glare, which merely served to make the other boy laugh outright. Ignoring Sokka's doleful expression, Renzu opened up his footlocker and dug out a small clay jar.

"Here, catch!" he said, tossing it to Sokka.

It was a testament to the warrior's reflexes that he managed to do so and curious, he sat up while he uncorked the top. The pungent smell of something resembling mint assaulted his nose, and his eyes watered slightly as he drew back from the aroma.

"Whoa! What _is_ this?"

"Rub that into your muscles," explained Renzu, "it'll help with the soreness."

With one eyebrow quirked up in skepticism, Sokka cautiously dipped his fingers into the container of cream and experimentally rubbed some onto his bicep. It was cool at first, but moments later, it quickly permeated into the muscle, spreading a strange sensation of warmth. His arm immediately started feeling better, and he quickly lathered more onto other areas of complaint.

"Wow, this is pretty amazing stuff," he declared after he finished rubbing it into his tired muscles and handed it back. "Thanks!"

"You can thank my girlfriend," smiled Renzu with a hint of pride, his eyes flickering discretely to his right, "she's the one who made it for me."

Following the boy's glance, Sokka noticed a miniature portrait on a short cot-side table.

"Is this her?" he asked, reaching across the small room to pick it up for a closer look. Long dark bangs framed a petite face with luminous eyes and a perfect bow-shaped mouth.

"Ning' Xue. Yeah," confirmed the other teen with a distinct note of fondness and longing.

"She's beautiful," Sokka remarked honestly, setting the picture back in its place.

"Smart too," added Renzu with a grin, leaning back on his cot, "and she's a _great_ cook. Her spiced komodo-chicken dumplings are to die for."

"Mmm, sounds yummy," sighed Sokka dreamily, licking his lips slightly despite having just eaten less than an hour ago.

"Heh, I bet you'll eat just about anything won't you?" teased Renzu.

"More or less," Sokka admitted with a shrug.

They sat in silence for a moment before Renzu finally spoke again.

"So what about you; got a girlfriend?

Sokka reflected briefly about whether or not he should answer with the truth, and then decided that considering Suki was currently in what was, as far as anyone in the Fire Nation knew, occupied territory, he could probably be honest on _this_ point at least.

"Yeah, I do," he said finally. "She's in Omashu, well…'New Ozai'," he corrected himself.

Either Renzu didn't notice the oversight, or he simply didn't care, for he plunged ahead with the conversation.

"And are you two…you know…serious?"

The question left Sokka somewhat taken aback. He'd never really considered how far he was willing to take his relationship with Suki. After what had happened with Yue, he found himself unable (or perhaps unwilling) to face any sort of decision regarding his future with her. It was a sobering realization.

"I don't know," he answered with a hint of pensive embarrassment. "I guess never gave it much thought." Too tired to think it incredulous that he might find insight into his own dilemma from someone who was technically his enemy, Sokka warily turned the question back on his comrade. "What about you?"

"I'd marry Ning' Xue in a heartbeat," he confessed candidly.

"Then why don't you?"

At this, Renzu turned his head to regard 'Li' with an expression that was stuck halfway between incredulous and melancholic. He held this glance for several moments before looking back up at the tent ceiling with a sigh, and giving an answer that left Sokka with nothing else to say.

"I don't want to make her wait for someone who may never come home."

* * *

Nightfall had forced Zuko to postpone any further investigation of the house. The place was far too dusty for him to risk carrying a flame around. He'd figured that with his luck, he might accidently light a cobweb or a drape on fire, and bring the whole house burning down upon him. 

So he had settled down on a cot in the kitchen, a room that he noted seemed conspicuously less dusty than the rest of the house. A small candle on the counter provided enough light for him and Momo to share a meal of baked fish from the basket that the old woman had left out for him.

Now he sat propped up against the wall, eyes closed, and his diminutive furry companion snoring softly on his lap. He didn't realize he'd dozed off until a noise in the house startled him awake. Momo perked his ears up as well.

With a perfunctory wave of his hand, the candle on the other side of the kitchen flickered out, and he cautiously moved across the room to stand beside door, blinking as his eyes adjusted to the darkness. Light flooded the floor from the other side of the closed door.

Listening intently, he heard the soft thump of a candlestick being placed on a table, then the faint rasp of steel being pulled from a sheath, a dagger by the brevity of the sound. Whoever was out there had a weapon, so he silently drew his own twin blades as well…and waited.

Suddenly, the door burst open, and Zuko spun away from the wall to face the threat with swords poised to strike. But the sight of his assailant left him frozen in shock.

The woman's hairstyle was different from what he'd drawn, with ribbons of silvery-grey sweeping through the dark tresses near her temples, and there were perhaps more care-worn lines around the eyes that he didn't remember her ever having before. But aside from that, the likeness to the image tucked away in his tunic was more than startling…it was _perfect_.

Ursa was likewise immobilized by surprise. She had noticed the upset mantelpiece when she entered the house, and was fully prepared to dispatch a vandal or perhaps a roaming beast. Instead, she was greeted by the same face that tore at her heart every time she saw it posted on warrants throughout the Fire Nation. Her first coherent observation, absurdly enough, was that his hair was longer than what was pictured.

For several astonished heartbeats, mother and son stared wide-eyed at each other across their respective lengths of steel. Then, as the reality of the situation finally sank in, swords and dagger clattered simultaneously to the floor, and Ursa stepped forward to sweep Zuko into a fierce embrace.

All thought, all reason, all expectation was reduced to this single, desperate hold on one another, so that nothing more was exchanged between them beyond Zuko's dazed but exultant whisper.

"_You're alive."_

Until that moment, the prince had not dared to believe this truly possible. He had hoped for it, of course, but the fear of a far more disappointing probability had clung to him throughout his search so strongly that his success left him completely overwhelmed. All he could do was bask in the almost surreal luxury of his mother's arms.

While even eternity would have been too brief a span for their reunion, Ursa at last drew back to look at her eldest child, her moist eyes glistening like diamonds in the candlelight. Her smile was the hallmark of warmth and renewed existence as she took her son's face in her hands and gently brushed away his tears with her thumbs.

"I thought I would never see you again," she marveled softly. Then her tone became more somber as she added, "I'm sure you have a thousand questions."

Zuko nodded mutely despite the fact that, at the moment, he was still too thunderstruck to think of a single one.

* * *

Members of the weapons specialist force apparently didn't get to sleep any later than the rest of the new recruits, for once again Sokka was awakened before the first rays of the sun lit the sky. Renzu, it seemed, woke even earlier than that; his bunk was already empty when the dry clang of the morning bell roused Sokka from his sleep. 

With a hearty yawn, Sokka started getting dressed, and he had just finished pulling his boots onto his feet when his co-occupant popped his head through the front flap of the tent. His face was flushed with excitement, and a huge grin was stretched from ear to ear.

"Li!" he exclaimed breathlessly, "come on! There's someone I want you to meet!"

Renzu's head quickly disappeared, and Sokka hastily grabbed his training helmet and got up to follow after him. Even though the camp was lit only by the glow of torchlight, Sokka could see the bustle of activity as soldiers and recruits made their way to the mess hall. He noticed with some dismay, however, that Renzu was leading him in the opposite direction.

"Can't this wait until after breakfast?" bemoaned Sokka wistfully.

Renzu only laughed, pausing to let Sokka catch up and clapping a hand companionably on his shoulder when he did so.

"No, seriously," the hungry water tribe boy pressed, "who's so important that I have to meet him on an empty stomach?"

"Well," explained Renzu patiently, "you know how I said yesterday that our team wouldn't have any fire benders in it?"

"Yeah…"

"I was wrong," he smiled as they neared an impressive looking tent, "We will be _led_ by one…and he's a _good_ one too!"

Two sentries flanking the tent snapped to attention as the boys approached, and one of them held aside the drape that served as a door to let them pass. The inside was well appointed, and a tall officer stood with his back to them, staring at a large map of the Fire Nation Capital.

"Li," intoned Renzu with immeasurable pride, "I'd like you to meet our squad leader, my _father_…"

The man began to turn at the sound of Renzu's voice, and as Sokka's eyes fell on the face before him, his hunger suddenly fled in the wake of the iron weight that dropped into his stomach. Any hope he had of getting out of this mess unrecognized had just vanished as the familiar visage of the man who had surrendered in Chameleon Bay, and then later captured him and Zuko in Bìmíng, came into full view.

"…Commander Huo."

_

* * *

_

One last cliffhanger for old time's sake. :-D 


	8. Ch 8 Trust

Sunlight shone through the shuttered windows, finally rivaling the dying light of the guttering candle. Although he and his mother had talked straight through until morning, Zuko didn't feel the least bit tired. He'd told her about how he had tracked her down, even going so far as to show her the drawing he'd used in his search. She was quite impressed.

After sharing a simple breakfast just after sunrise, for which Momo woke up only long enough to demand his share before curling up on the table and going back to sleep, Ursa had finally divulged the events leading up to her 'disappearance'. Zuko didn't say a word, but merely stared thoughtfully into his teacup until she finished her tale. There was a pregnant pause.

"Then Azula _was_ telling the truth," he stated quietly, sounding pensive, but unsurprised.

Ursa let out a slow breath. "Yes."

A brief, somber silence ensued before Ursa continued.

"I'm can't say that I'm proud of my involvement in your grandfather's demise," she confessed softly, then her voice hardened with firm resolve, "but I don't regret _anything_ I did. Ozai had no compunctions about sacrificing you, and I would have faced a punishment of _death_ before I let that happen. As it was, I was merely sent away."

"You mean _banished_," her son corrected coldly, not looking up from his cup.

"Yes."

Zuko seemed to ponder this for a moment, his brow furrowing in confusion. He knew from personal experience that exiles were sent beyond the borders of the Fire Nation, and punished severely if they returned.

"Then how is it you wound up _here_?" he finally asked.

"A fierce storm struck at sea, less than a day after we passed through the gates of Azulon. Only a handful of us survived," she recounted sorrowfully. "The second officer was a very kind man. He convinced the others to bear witness of my death to your father. Once presumed dead, I was free go, or _stay_, where I wished.

"This," she indicated the house with a wave her hand, "was my father's home. I couldn't stay here outright of course, lest it arouse suspicion. But I visit it frequently between trips to other towns where I sell my handiwork. I guess you could say its part of my rounds," she finished wryly, picking up the teapot to pour another cup and frowning when she realized it was empty.

"Would you like some more tea, dear?" she asked, getting up to fix another pot.

"Please," Zuko mumbled.

While Ursa busied herself on the other side of the kitchen, Zuko pulled out the small picture he'd found the previous day and stared at it broodingly, barely listening to his mother's idle musings.

"You know, your Uncle Iroh would be impressed," she was saying cheerfully, "this will be our _fourth_ pot of tea!"

Coming back to the table to sit while the kettle warmed, Ursa noticed the dark expression on her son's face.

"Is something wrong?" she ventured.

"Mother, who is this?" he inquired suddenly, showing her the ink drawing, and tapping one finger on the teenaged fire bender. She smiled fondly as she took it.

"That's my father when he was a boy; your grandfather Kuzon." Still gazing at the portrait, she didn't see Zuko's eyes go wide with shock at the name, and she merely continued absently, "As for the other boy, Father was friends with a young air bender before the war…"

"Aang," interrupted Zuko softly.

"Yes," she looked up in mild, but pleased surprise. "How did you know?"

Zuko met her gaze with astonishing intensity as he answered, "Aang is the Avatar."

His revelation to Ursa was met with a curious response. She looked away almost guiltily, and handed the picture back to him. Her voice was subdued and curt.

"I see."

Taking the image, Zuko cocked his head and regarded her suspiciously, and when she caught his narrowed glance, Ursa heaved a slow sigh, as if mentally preparing herself for a potentially trying ordeal.

"Zuko," she began hesitantly, "There is something important I need to tell you…"

* * *

Sokka was sweating profusely, and not from the exertion of the complicated sword maneuver that he was learning. Huo hadn't said a word to him after their 'introduction', but the water tribe boy was certain saw a flash of recognition, shock even, on the older man's face. So he was pretty sure that it was just a matter of time before soldiers came and- 

"Private Li!"

Sokka looked up from his training, _Yep, there they are._ Two armored guards strode up to the training ground.

"Commander Huo wishes to see you…immediately."

Handing his practice sword to his sparring partner, Sokka took a deep breath and headed toward the large tent with the soldiers flanking him ominously on either side. He did his best to try and look unconcerned as they escorted him inside.

Huo turned and regarded the three of them critically, then addressed the sentries.

"You two are dismissed."

They saluted crisply and left, leaving Sokka alone with the commander, who merely walked past the boy as if to follow the other two out. Sokka turned to watch as Huo waited at the tent flap for a moment before calmly fastening it securely shut. A heartbeat later, the commander whirled on him and began whispering angrily in his face.

"What do you think you are doing here!?" he demanded harshly. "Where is Prince Zuko? Is he alive? Is he _safe_?"

Sokka took a step back from the rapid assault of unusual questions. This wasn't exactly what he was expecting. He blinked several times in confusion before narrowing his eyes warily.

"Why should I tell you anything?" he asked with bold suspicion.

"Would you rather I reveal who you really are, Sokka of the Southern Water Tribe?" threatened Huo. "I can assure you it won't go over well. The Fire Nation doesn't take kindly to spies-"

"But I'm not a spy! I got drafted into this mess by accident!"

"Well," said Huo almost smugly, folding his arms over his chest as he straightened, "that answers my _first_ question."

Sokka opened his mouth to protest, and then quickly snapped it shut again. Zuko always said he talked too much; maybe it was time to prove his friend wrong. This line of thought was apparently written all over Sokka's face, for Huo's expression softened somewhat.

"Look," he started reasonably, "You don't have very many options here. The Avatar's bison is halfway to the capital in chains, which means the chances of your friends sneaking you out in the middle of the night are slim. So if you want my help with leaving camp in one piece, you're going to have to _trust_ me."

"Not until I know why you haven't already turned me in," the clever boy countered.

Huo didn't respond immediately. Instead, he walked over to the map behind his desk with his hands clasped behind his back.

"Because you aren't supposed to be here," he replied at length. "_None_ of the boys in this camp should be here." He heaved slow sigh before continuing. "A century of war is hard on a nation, and most of us just want to see it ended…victory or not."

"But, the Fire Nation is winning," puzzled the warrior, "and with the comet coming this summer…"

"The Fire Lord will finally defeat the Earth Kingdom and the Water Tribes," Huo finished tiredly. He spun to face to Sokka. "And _then_ what? The war would be over, but there wouldn't be _peace_. Those who we've conquered would still resist, and troops would have to remain scattered across the world trying to keep 'order'. More will be sent away…and they won't return.

"But there is hope for a better resolution, he continued surreptitiously. "If Ozai is defeated, there are many in the military and government who would support Prince Zuko's claim to the throne."

Sokka's brows knit together as he processed this information, comprehension slowly dawning on his face. He gasped as full realization struck him.

"You're planning a coup!"

"Yes," Huo smiled with approval at the boy's deductive skills. Then his face became grave once more as he added meaningfully, "But it will all be for nothing should some ill befall the Prince…which is why you _must_ tell me where he is."

"I wish I knew,' Sokka admitted dejectedly, "we parted ways in Kazimizu. I don't know where he is."

"You let him go off on his _own_?" the commander exploded, only barely keeping his voice under control, lest it carry beyond the thick fabric walls of the tent. "Have you any idea what sort of _price_ is on his head!"

"It was his idea!" defended the teen. "He's supposed to meet up with us in Port Shukumei. And uh….Appa wasn't really captured. That's a ruse." Noting Huo's confused expression, Sokka finished lamely, "It's a long story. But we're supposed to get him back in Port Shukumei too."

This seemed to placate the commander, for he relaxed and moved to sit down at his desk, the gears in his brain clicking as he took stock of the full situation. If the Avatar already had people on the inside, then maybe he could make all of this work to his, and their, advantage.

"Very well," he conceded finally. "I'll do what I can to get you out of the army before we reach Port Shukumei. In the meantime, just concentrate on your training, and tell _no_ one what we have discussed…not even my son."

Sokka solemnly nodded his assent.

"You can go back to the others now."

With another nod, Sokka turned as was about to leave the tent when a curt 'ahem!' stopped him.

"And remember, _Private Li_, that while you are here I _am_ your commanding officer."

"Oh! Right!"

Sokka spun and gave an absurdly serious salute, to which Huo merely shook his head dolefully and dismissed the boy with a wave of his hand.

* * *

Ursa didn't explain herself right away; instead, she bade Zuko to follow her as she went back out into the parlor and stood before the massive fireplace. In the pale light of day, and with the drape removed (thanks to Momo), Zuko could see the ornate details of the mantle. 

Two dragons rode along the top cornice, their heads meeting in the middle, and supporting a round disk in their jaws. It was engraved with a white lotus pattern.

Without a word, Ursa placed her hand on the central carving and turned it to the right. This initiated a series of whirring and clicking that reverberated throughout the room before the whole back panel of the fireplace slid away with a large grinding sound to reveal a secret passage.

Zuko gasped, too stunned to even smack his forehead. He _knew_ he was missing something!

He followed her into the passage, lighting the way as they went down a spiraling flight of stairs, and coming at last to a small room. Glowing, amber-colored stones placed at intervals along the walls provided them with enough light that Zuko could dismiss his flame.

What he saw in the room took his breath away. The most dominant feature was a large painting of Roku. But unlike all the other images he had ever seen of the erstwhile Avatar, which showed him in all his elemental glory, this was apparently a family portrait. Several other people were pictured there alongside him; an elderly woman who Zuko assumed was his wife, and a young couple holding a baby.

Before he had much time to wonder at who they were, something else in the chamber caught his eye. Resting on an intricately carved wooden stand was a sheathed pair of broadswords, not unlike his own, but of obviously superior quality.

Ursa walked over to them and lifted the scabbard from its resting place. When she drew the blades, the metal did not rasp against the sheath…it _sang_; a bell-like tone that filled the tiny space with dulcet power.

"I see you've learned to use broadswords," Ursa observed wryly, "so I want you to have these. They were my father's."

She slid the swords back into the scabbard, and he took it from her with great reverence.

"Then…those stories you used to tell me," he marveled haltingly, "about the Blue Spirit…"

"Were true. Well, they may have been embellished just a little," she admitted humorously, "but that would be because my father liked to spin a good tale. I only shared what he told me."

Zuko was beyond words, but the surprises weren't over yet. He watched in something like a daze as his mother walked over to the large portrait on the wall and ran a hand lovingly down its edge.

"Do you like the painting?" she asked.

Unsure how to answer, Zuko walked over to stand alongside her, looking at the image more critically than he had before. At last, he voiced his confusion.

"Why is it here?"

"This is your heritage, Zuko," she informed him quietly then lifted a hand to point at the various faces, starting with the youngest male pictured (the baby), and going up through the line. "Your grandfather, your great-grandfather for whom you were named, and your great-great-grandfather…"

"Avatar Roku?" whispered Zuko incredulously. He looked from the painting to his mother with wide, disbelieving eyes.

"No one in the royal family knows," she explained, correctly guessing at what he must be wondering. "Fire Lord Azulon might never have agreed to my marriage to your father otherwise. It's been a family secret for generations.

"This war is _wrong_, Zuko," she continued fervently, "It was wrong when Sozin started it, and it _has_ to end. And nothing makes me more proud than to know you are working with the Avatar to do just that."

She reached up a hand to caress her son's scarred cheek. "There's just one more thing I want you to have."

Turning from him, she then picked up a small box from a nearby table, and opened it. Inside was the same hairpiece that Roku wore in the portrait, in every portrait Zuko had ever seen.

"This was given to Roku by your great-grandfather Sozin," she informed him. Seeing his shock, she let a sad smile flit across her features as she elaborated, "Yes, they were friends once, just as you and Aang are now. By _every_ right, this belongs to you."

Zuko took the small object with trembling hands, and he could _feel_ the spiritual energy emanating from it. Like a bolt of lightning, it hit him that the headpiece was still connected to Avatar Roku's spirit, and he remembered how Aang had told him that he'd invoked the spirit of Avatar Kyoshi once, simply by wearing her clothes. So if Aang had this, then maybe, just _maybe_…

"I have to go," Zuko declared suddenly, "I have to get back to Aang! If I can find him before he gets to Port Shukumei, then maybe…" His voice trailed off as he looked to his mother with longing and sorrow. "I can't stay…"

She stepped forward and embraced him, holding him tightly as though she would never have the opportunity again. But when she drew back, she was smiling.

"We'll go to him together then."

Relief flooded Zuko's face. Not because he had found his mother, or that she was going to travel with him, but because now there was hope that Aang would not be the last Avatar. The prince's faith and confidence had been restored by what he'd learned, and now he intended to the same…for his _friend_.

_fin_

**

* * *

Author's note:** This may be the last 'episode' I plan to write but it is **not** the end of this story! There is still more to come, so stay tuned for future postings in a different format. 

Also, I still intend to honor my promise to pick one reviewer of this 'episode' to select any scene from the series for me to illustrate for them. BUT, in addition to that, I want to hear from all of you what your favorite scene from THIS 'episode' was, and whichever one is mentioned the most, I will do a picture of that as well.

Oh, and just to share a bit of humor and insight into the ending here, believe it or not, way back when I was writing 'Threads of Fate', I had it in my head that Zuko would be Roku's descendant. But I axed the idea for fear that it would be too far-fetched, and opted to have Zuko be related to Kuzon instead.

Needless to say, I practically fell off the couch when I watched 'The Avatar and the Fire Lord' for the first time! Apparently, my original idea wasn't so crazy after all. Go figure! Of course by then, I'd already laid the groundwork for the Zuko/Kuzon thing, and I debated whether or not I should just stay with that, or try to work my initial concept back in somehow.

In the end, the fact that it was actually canon was just too good to pass up, so here it is...in a slightly different form (Zuko is Roku's great-_great_-grandson, instead of his great-grandson). But admittedly, the Roku headpiece thing I took from the show. It was too perfect not too. So that, and only that, was taken from canon. The rest of it was just freaky coincidence of my idea being in line with the canon.

The same goes for Ursa's banishement. I always suspected that was what had happened to her, and I felt very justified when I watched 'Day of Black Sun' and saw it confirmed. It still feels weird to know that I guessed correctly on these things, and I do wish I could have published them before they were revealed on the show, so it wouldn't seem like I was copying from it, but that's just the way it goes, I guess. Jungian Theory for the win!

Anyway, please be sure to hit the review button and let me know what you think (as well as what scene from this 'episode' you'd most like me to draw!)!


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